Richard Emory

Walter Emory Johnson Jr. was born in Santa Barbara, California. His mother was silent film actress Ella Hall and his father was actor-turned-director Emory Johnson. At the time of his birth, both parents were contract players for Universal.

By 1924, his parents' marriage was on the rocks, but they reconciled in late 1925. Tragedy struck in March 1926 when Emory's five-year-old brother, Alfred, was killed by a truck. The vehicle reportedly narrowly missed Emory.[1] After the reconciliation of Emory's parents, the couple decided to have one last child. Emory's sister, Diana Marie, was born on October 27, 1929.

After his parents' divorced in 1930, Emory and his two younger sisters went to live with their mother. Emory would be the first of the Johnson children to appear in a film. At age ten, he had an uncredited role in the 1930 film All Quiet on the Western Front. He would have another uncredited part in the 1941 production of I Wanted Wings.

Emory registered for the draft on October 16, 1940, as Emory Waldemar Johnson. His military record indicates that he was 21 years of age, 6 feet tall, weighed 162 pounds, had blue eyes and blond hair and lived in North Hollywood. He enlisted in the Marine Corps on November 7, 1940 and served until he was discharged on September 12, 1945. [2]

After World War II, Emory worked as a wholesale florist, but quit after 18 months and began studying at the Gilliard's Playhouse. He remained there for two years.

His first credited film role was in South of Death Valley which was released in 1949. Bandit King of Texas was released several days later. Around the time he left dramatic school, his rugged good looks got him employment as an advertising model. He used modeling to supplement his income for eighteen years because of the unsteady pay generated from movie parts.

Emory acted in a variety of movie genres that included adventure, comedy, science fiction, Westerns and musicals. A full third of his artistic output was in the Western genre. These films included Code of the Silver Sage, Gene Autry and the Mounties, Little Big Horn, Hellgate and Perils of the Wilderness.On television, a third of his output was westerns, including roles in The Cisco Kid, The Roy Rogers Show, Bat Masterson, The Gene Autry Show and The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin. He ended his acting career at the age of 44 with a role as an intern in the television series Perry Mason. The episode aired on May 9, 1963.[3]

Emory spent many years living in North Hollywood, California. He was married there in January 1952. After he retired from movies and television, he sold insurance and real estate until, in 1966, he attended began work as a landscaper and gardener. He worked at his new job for ten years. In 1976, Emory retired again, at the age of 57d. In 1980, he and his wife moved to Jemez Springs, New Mexico where Emory was once again able to pursue his passion in life – growing things. Ten years later, Emory and his wife moved to Moab, Utah.[4] The move may explain why Emory is listed in the "Brief Biographies of Church of the Latter Day Saints and/or Utah Film Personalities" website. The listing is based on being a Film Personality residing in Utah, not as being a member of the LDS church.

Emory died of a stroke on February 15, 1994, in Moab, Utah, at the age of 75. Unlike his parents and two siblings, he chose not to be interred with the rest of the family at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in California. Emory had a non-cemetery burial in Utah.[5]